Halcyon
by orlafey87
Summary: The TARDIS lands in an unexpected place that Rose finds perfectly lovely, but the Doctor is not quite as charmed by their surroundings.


**Author's Note:** So I wrote a fic. My first ever. Yeah. *Bites lip*

This story was inspired by a word challenge: halcyon \HAL-see-uhn\, adjective:  
1. Calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy; as, "deep, halcyon repose."  
2. Marked by peace and prosperity; as, "halcyon years."

* * *

"No. No. NO!" His annoyance resonated through the entire TARDIS, if such was possible.

"What is it, Doctor? What's the matter?" Rose didn't know whether this was the time to intrude or leave a man alone at his mechanics.

"We weren't supposed to land here," he let out in obvious disgust, head bent over some wiring. Why had the TARDIS brought them here? Millenniums further than he had intended?

Wondering what place could make her doctor so agitated yet dormant, curiosity got the best of Rose. Usually he'd have grabbed her hand and whisked her off on some adventure by now, even if it wasn't his intended destination. She nodded towards the TARDIS's door, "Is it safe to have a look?"

"Oh yes, perfectly so," contempt still in his voice, "Take all the look-see you want. I'll be fiddling with this mess here."

Rose opened the door tentatively and stepped into the unknown. Her lungs immediately filled with something so familiar, yet purer. Earth air but with all the toxins sucked out of it. She shielded her eyes to a sun, burning golden and close to the planet's surface. At her feet was nothing exciting or foreign but grass and dirt. Her gaze finally rested at eye-level, observing every close activity. Directly in front of her a dozen children played on a wooden playground, not so different than the one near her flat. To one side of the park were couples walking arm in arm on a twisting clay path, a child's lemonade stand cluttered with clear plastic cups positioned at the trail's center. The opposite side was lined with quaint shops and cafes.

Lightheaded from breathing in the clean air, Rose headed towards a nearby bench. If she had merely glimpsed at this place, she would have assumed it was identical to the world she grew up in. But the sun hit the air particles so extraordinarily that the entire atmosphere sparkled, even lightening the dull falling leaves. The air enveloping her was cool and crisp, felt like autumn, but at the same time, the overpowering sunlight reminded her of summer. The two mixed together in a way that seemed impossible, yet it was wholly alluring. No, it was in her awareness of the details that told her this was not home.

She sensed him sitting down next to her, heard his exasperated sigh. Why was he so reluctant to accept that the TARDIS had brought them here and just enjoy himself? It wasn't like the place was harmful to either of them. Perhaps it appeared a little too homey for his taste?

"Where are we?" The simple question she hadn't thought to ask earlier escaped her lips. Somehow though, not knowing had allowed for more interesting observations.

"Earth. 3942. About one hundred years after the fall of the Chinese Empire."

"China rules the world?"

"Don't look so surprised. The Chinese were of the first to mold humans into something semi-intelligent. Smart people, them. They just remained isolated for a time."

"Hmm." She contemplated on his information for a moment. "But if this is the future…why does it seem so much cleaner than 2006? Isn't the general idea that humans pollute and corrupt the Earth as it ages?"

"Yes, but that's just it. These people have been lulled into believing they've created utopia. When China fell, no power came about to pick up the pieces. People were tired of oppression, tired of control; everyone for the most part was willing to sacrifice a significant amount of money and power for a return to simplicity. In every way, sense, and form, they have worked together towards 'perfection'. The whole world is like this one spot. There hasn't been a war in over fifty years."

This news sounded lovely to Rose, but the Doctor's face remained grim. Silence came to them for some time. Her focus fell on one particular child, a small tan boy with curly brown hair, showing the cutest dimples as he giggled over some insect he was inspecting. The boy radiated with energy and…happiness.

"What happened to the 'just this once, everyone lives' spirit?" She asked, eyes still watching the playing child.

"It's the calm before the storm, Rose. That boy there. Ten years from now, twelve at the most, his home will be destroyed. He probably won't even be alive to see it. Sure everything appears fine and dandy now, but it won't last. It never does. All life forms are greedy creatures. One being's lust for power will ruin all this. Kill this moment." His voice now seemed to carry another sentiment: despair.

Something was gnawing at the back of Rose's mind. She'd barely had an idea on what his homeland had been like, having never gotten the chance to see it herself, and his references to it were few and far between. Had his people fallen into the same false sense of security? Was that why he wanted nothing to do with this little piece of heaven?

She continued to watch the boy playing under the golden sun. As he climbed up rickety stairs to reach the slide, he tripped and gravity pulled him several feet below to the ground. Rose jumped up to check on him, awaiting the sound of a child's cry and a view of a nasty scrape. But the boy picked himself up, dusted off his body, and started his trek again. She felt his glee as he slid down.

A fierce emotion overwhelmed her. "It won't kill it though! He still has his childhood…his memories."

She sighed and sat down once again by the Doctor. "Maybe it's important for us to see this. Maybe it's to show us that these few peaceful moments are worth fighting for. If the universe was always caught up in some tragic battle, what would be the point of our adventures?"

More silence passed between them, but she noticed a growing smile on his face.

"Rose Tyler. I'm not quite sure you are an ape," he praised, quite impressed with his companion and how she unconsciously took every detail in and puzzled over it until something positive and logical fitted into place. She was purely the best of the best.

"You just might have it right, this once. It's a quite unexciting place though. I had planned on taking you to see the day Arthur was crowned king. Now that is an interesting event. Magnificant man, just in need of a good bath."

She chuckled; glad to see her Doctor's mood cheering up. However, Rose was settled. All she cared for was for them to walk hand in hand down the twisting lane like the other couples and breathe in all this temporary haven had to offer.

"Well, we're here so we might as well do some exploring, yeah? And I fancy some fresh lemonade. Do you think this place has chips?"

Her content with a calm and simple day was infectious. He embraced her hand with his own as they rose from the bench; their next dangerous venture would just have to wait until tomorrow.

He patted the small lad on the back and handed him a banana from his pocket as they passed him. The boy looked up at the Doctor with hopeful eyes and a crinkling smile, completely unaware of the events looming ahead.

"Of course they do. How would you lot survive without them?"


End file.
